Machine for operating on barrels and the like



Nov. 8, 1927. 1,648,372

W. W. TREVQR ET AL.

MACHINE FOR OPERATING on BARRELS AND THE LIKE Filed Mimi! 26. 1924 3 Sheets$heet l Nov. 8, 1927.

Filed March 26. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 8, 1927.

1,648,372 W. W. TREVOR ET AL. v MACHINE FOR OPERATING on BARHELS AND THE LIKE Filed March 26, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 8,1927.

earner geers -wrLLIA rw; 'rnnvon, or nooxron'r, AND

nit-manna "A.

YORK.

MACHINE ron ornnn'rrne onnennnns Ann aura LIKE;

Application. filed March 26, 1924. Serial No. 702,141.

r This invention relates to improvements in hoop driving and barrel level ng machines, and more particularly to machines used for driving the usual temporary heavy trussing and the leveling and centering hoops on trussed barrels or other containers and for leveling the ends of the staves thereof or'truing upv the container bodies preparatory to finishing the ends of. the staves and applying the permanent hoops. The invention is particularly applicable to machines or" this sort adapted to the manutacture of barrels known as slack barrels but the same may also be used in connection with other formsof barrels, containers or packages. 5 I

In the manufacture of a barrel or like package it is customary to assemble the required number of staves by arranging them in a setting up form, where they are drawn together by suitable means, and temporary truss hoops are placed over the ends of the staves to hold them in barrel formation. Thesetruss hoops are relatively thick metal rings and they are placed overthe staves near the opposite ends, after which they must be driven tightly on the staves sufficiently far to hold them securely during the subsequent operations on the barrel.

The invention relates to machines for driving the temporary hoops on the staves and leveling the staves as stated.

Machines of this character have been provided having oppositely disposed driving heads, one or both of which reciprocate toward the barrel being operated upon. The driving heads include a plurality of driving and guiding members, arranged to engage the hoops on the barrel. Leveling heads and centering cones or devices are also provided which are usually arranged on the driving heads whereby leveled and centered. It has been customary in these machines for the driving 7 heads to be rigidly secured relatively to each other and to be moved a definite distance to engage the ends of the barrel and drive the hoops thereon, as to yield or be restrained when engaging the hoops. In the use of such machines, should the staves of the barrel exceed the usual length, the rigidly arranged leveling and centering heads will engage their opposit ends enclbyre se at the fact that the e the ends of the staves are heads the drivers being resiliently arranged so heads must move to definite points according to; the throw of the actuating means, they willcompre'ss the excessively long staves to a harmful degree with resultant breakageand loss or material and time. The action of the hoop drivers is not uniform and thehoops are not necessarily drlven to the same'disor BARKER, NEW

tan'ce apart but the distance between the hoops may'vary on different barrels of same SEZG. In machines of this sort it has been customary toprovide different sizes of leveling heads, centering cones, or both, to permit the machines to operate on barrels or packages or diri erentsizes. Up to the present time, machines for the purpose stated, have been relatively expensive to produce, neces sitating the use of accurately machined parts, of heavy construct1on,jsuch that it has been impractical to adopt such machines for use in localities where onlyaliinited demand for barrels exists. 'For instance, in certain fruit growing districts-where barrels are'required duringonly a short period of each year, it would not paythe individual users or small cooperage concerns to purchase-such expen-, sive machines, as a relatively large investment would remain idle and unproductive during a greater portion of each year.

()ne ot the objects ot the present invention is to provide a hoop. driving or trussing machine of relatively 'simple'and inexpensive construction and of lightweight, such that it may be advantageously introduced in com-' munities where only an intermittent demand therefor exists and so that it may be easily transported fromplace to place if desired.

Other objects are to provide a machine of 7 this character-with improved stave leveling and barrel centering means; also to provide a combined leveling head and centering form or cone of a single metal part of relatively simple form; also to so construct andar-' range the opposed leveling and centering means that these parts will automatically adjust themselves to compensate for vari-- ations in the length of the staves, when setv for a givensize of barrel, without breaking or injuring the staves; also to provide improved driving and guiding devices for toroing thehoops on the'barrels so constructed and arranged thatin the operation of the machine, the towards each other from opposite ends of the ,barrel to definite relative positions, regardhoops will be positively driven ice less of variations in the length of the barrel staves; also to provide the driving devices 'with improved guide .means adapted 'to ator, and to provide the driving devices with improved means whereby they may automatically adjust themselves to Variations or 1nequalities in the hoops or barrels: also to I provide means in the form of auxiliary rings andattaching devices therefor whereby the machine maybe easily and quickly adapted to barrel's and packages of different diam-' eters, without necessitating the removal or changing of the leveling heads, by attaching an auxiliary ring-of the required diameter directly over the centering cone.

Another object is to provide an improved and, simplified adjustable connection between the. driving heads and the actuating means therefor, whereby the machine may be easily and quickly adjusted to change the stroke of the machine to adapt itto operate on barrels or packages of different lengths. Still other objects of the invention are to improve, generally machines of this sort in the other respects hereinafter described and set forth inthe claim.

z In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 isa front elevation of a truss hoop driving and stave leveling machine embodying my invention.

Fig. '2 is a longitudinal sectional plan view thereof on line 2.2, Fig. 1.

. Fig; 3 is a vertical sectional. elevation thereof on line 33, Fig. 2, showing the driving heads and associated devices at the extreme limit of the driving stroke. I

F ig. 4 is a fragmentary similar view of the machine at the moment of engagement of the hoop driving devices with the hoops at opposite ends of the barrel.

. ,Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view of the machine on' an enlarged scale showing an auxiliary centering ring applied thereto.

Fig; 6 is a fragmentary vertical section thereof on an enlarged scale on line 6-45, Fig. 5 showing the securing means for an auxiliary centering ring.

Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary enlarged vertical sections on line 77 Fig. 5 showing two different adjustments of one of the driving devices.

Fig. 9 is a sectional plan view of one of the'driving devices on line 9-9, Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 1s a fragn'ientary vertical section showing the positioning means for ad]usting an auxiliarycentering ring on the, centeringcone. H

The machine shown in the drawnws comprises generally a main frame including an upper horizontal frame member 10, on which the gears and driving means are mounted, spaced parallel upright posts or tie rods 11 connected to the member 10 and adapted to form guides for a reciprocatlng' drlvlng head 12. The opposite ends of the rods 11 i are connected to a combined base plate and stationary driving head 13. The member 10 and head 13 are further connected by a central rear upright 14. and intermediate tie rods 15. i

The reciprocating driving head 12 is preferably of circular form and provided with opposite lateral bearings or portions 16 slidating the driving head, such as a drive shaft 20 and spur pinion 21, meshing withthe gear 22 on a counter shaft 23. The counter shaft is provided with a fixed crank arm 24 to the outer end of which one end of a pitman or connecting rod 25is pivotally connected, the other end of the connecting rod 25 being pivotally connected at 26 to transverse reinforcing ribs or flanges 27 on the reciprocating driving head 12. 'The drive shaft may be rotated by the pulley 28 or otherwise. Means are preferably provided for adjustably positioning the head 12 relative to the shaft. 23 whereby it may be changed as re quired to approach nearer to or farther from the fixedhead 13 when at the extreme end of its stroke so that barrels or packages of various lengths may be effectively operated upon in the machine. For this purpose. the connecting rod 25 is providedwith shackle portions 30, 31 at its opposite ends which are connected by a turn buckle 82 having right and left hand threaded portions at its ends screwing into the parts 30, 31. By these means the length of the connecting rod 25 may be varied by rotating the turnbuckle. 32 in one direction or another. Any other suitable means may be used for varying the'length of the connecting rod 25. The driving head 13 may be of any suitable construction adapting it to form a base or support for the machine and it is therefore provided. with the rearwardly extended part 13 to which the rear. upright 14: and tie rods 15 are connected. Feet or lugs 35 depending from the edges of the head 13 form convenient means whereby the machine mav be supported on a floor.

Each of the driving heaos l2 and 13 is provided with improved adjustable hoop driving and barrel guiding devices. As shown in the. drawings, four of such devices 36 are arranged radially at equidistant points on each head, and each device comprises a hoop engaging and driving finger or part3? pivoted on a radially adjustable j bracket 38 and extending perpendicularly from. the driving head toward the opposite head. Each bracket- 38 is provided with. elongated slots 39, and bolts 40' extend therethrough into the head whereby thebrackets can be adjusted to difierent positionsradial 1y of the headno driving devices 36 are preferably also provided with improved,

means for guiding the barrels into position when placed into the machine and for en gaging and restraining the hoops against lateral displacement or distortion when being driven-on the barrel... These means coinprise hook members 41', secured to or formed 7 Figs. 3 and 5. These fingers 4:2 are, longer than the other fingers a2 and extend upwardly and flare outwardly as shown. lVhen a barrel or container is placed in the machine it is usually held by the upser end and is moved diagonally into the machine, lower end foremost, so that the. rear portion ofthe lower edge, is higher than the front portion. The fingers 42 are therefore adapted to en gagethe rear portion of the lower edge to guide the barrel downwardly into position and prevent the rear portion of the barrel from being improperly positioned over or outwardly beyond the rear driving devices.

Additional means for centering the barrel relatively to the axis of the machine. are provided in connection with the novel leveling heads and centering cones associated with the driving heads 12 and 13., In th-epre ferred construction shown in the drawings a leveling head and centering cone 45 is pro vided for each driving head. Each of these devices 45 comprises a one piece casting or part having an annular stave engaging and leveling flange 46, positioned adjacent the driving devices 36 and spaced from the driving head, and a central truncated cone or tapered part leTBXtGI IdiHg from the flange 46 towards the opposite driving head, with its largest diameter'in the plane of its connection with the flange l6 and having its center coincident with the axis of the driving heads. This largest diameter of the centering cone 47 is preferablysubstantially that of the internal diameter at the ends of the smallest barrel or container to be operated on. The flanges 46 are provided, with radially disposed notches 48 through which the driving devices 36 extend, so that, in the normal position of the parts, the guide fingers 42, ag of the driving devices are substan tially in, the position shown in; Fig. 1; Thus when: a barre1 is inserted in the machine, as

explained, the lower-end of the barrel will be guided; by the fingers 42,42 of the lower I driving devices mto engagement with the centering cone, and the barrel: will then move downwardly on and be centered by the lower cone 47 with its axis coincident there with and also with the drivinghead 12 and the other centering andleveling device 45' associated, therewith.

The leveling and centering devices 45 are preferably guided and. resiliently mounted on their respective driving heads so that when the upper driving head moves downwardly towards a barrel on the ma: chine and the drivers of the two driving lie-ads engage and force the hoops'towards' each other farther on the barrel, the oppO- site ends. of the barrel staves are simultaneously engaged by the flanges 46 for the purpose of leveling the staves and squaring up the barrel, the leveling and centering yielding engagement with the ends ofthe staves By this means, breakage of staves is prevented in caseswhere the 'staves are .over

length while nevertheless the hoops will be driven to the desired positions, The preferred arrangement for thispurpose is as follows v v j Each of'the leveling and centering dev ces i5 is provided with a central boss or hub 50.

having a stud 51. secured thereinwhichextends outwardly and isadapted to slide n a central guide sleeve r 52 in the adjacent driving head, whereby the leveling and centering device is centered and ahned with reference to its driving .head. tant pointson the flange 46 are boltsor pins 53v extending loosely through holes in the flange 46 into and t-hroughregistering holes in the ad'acent drivinghead. Coil springs or the like 5d surround the bolts 53 between the leveling device and the driving head which tend to separate these members, while nuts 55 on the outer ends of the bolts are adapted to engage the outer faces of the driving heads to restrain and limit the dis tance to which saidmembersmay be separated. The nuts may be tightened or devices willbe permitted to give or have a At equidisloosened as required to vary the tension of centering cone 4;7- of the lower leveling and centering device 45 with the ends of the stave-s resting on the flangedtl, and the hoop X will be adjacent the ends of the driving fingers 57.-

the upper driving head .12

descends, the upperends of the barrel staves will be first engaged by-the flange 46 it the upper leveling and centering device 45 and .the continued downward movement of the driving head 12 will cause the ends of the upper driving fingers 37 to engage the upper hoop. The hoops at the opposite ends of the barrel are now engaged by their respective driving fingers 37 and the further downward movement of the upper driving head 12 will force these hoops towards each other on the barrel to a like distance for the reason that the ends of the upper and lower driving fingers are the same distance from their respective driving heads. At the same time, owing to the engagement of the oppo vent breaking or splitting ot-the staves, but

the hoops will, on account of the fixed movement of the upper drivers, nevertheless be driven to their required positions ata fixed predetermined distance apart.

Thus the hoops "are driven on the barrels to predetermined points and the distance between them will always be the same irrespective of slight dilierences in the lengths of the staves; also thedescribed resilient arrangement of the leveling and centering devices permits slight relative endwise movementsof the staves, so that, should one or more of the staves be inadvertently positioned so that one end projected some distance beyond'the' others it will be engaged by one or the other of the leveling devices and pushed into position between the adjacent staves by a sliding movement. The barrels are thus trued or leveled in a practical and eflicient manner. The described arrangement. whereby the hoops are definitely' positioned relatively to each other also enables these hoops to be used as gages for subsequently trimming the ends 01 the barrels, thereby'insuring the production of barrels of uniform length. 7 I

The, present invention includes the provision of improved means, whereby the machine is, adapted to be used on'ditferent sizes of barrels or containers without the necessity of removing the driving heads or leveling and centering devices and substituting others of different size. The preferred em bodiment includes the provision of auxiliary centering rings of different outside diameters adapted to surround the centering cones and be secured thereto so as to increase the diameter of the centering cones. A pair of these'ringsof the same size are used, one on the upper, and one on the lower centering cone a7, for each larger size of barrel to be side diameter of the end of the barrel with which it is to be used, and to insure the proper positioning of the ring on the cone, means of suitable sort are provided whereby the ring may be placed so that a definite point on the ring, will always register with a selected point on thecone. For this purpose the ring 57 and the cone 47 are each provided with a registering hole as at 60, 60 respectively and a dowel pin 61 is adapted to be inserted through both' holes when they are brought into register, see Fig. 10. The ring may now be secured to the leveling and centering device in any suitable way, as for instance by the use of screws 62,.passing through apertures 63 in the ring and into threaded holes 64 in the flange 46 see Figs. 5 and 6. Any other suitable registering and securing means may be used for the purpose described.

It is desirable that the driving and guide fingers 87, 41' of the driving devices 36 be arranged so that, should the barrel or container bulge, or be contorted or deformed adjacent the hoops, the drivingfingers may yield away from or ride over such inequalities, without cutting into or otherwise injuring the staves, or by catching on the staves, prevent the proper driving on of the hoops. The driving fingers 37 and guide fingers4l are therefore arranged so as to yield radially outward when'conditions as stated above are encountered. In the drawings the end'of each driving'iinger adjacent the pivot pin 65 is provided with a stop shoulder 66 adapted to engage a fixed part, such as the driving head to limit its movement towards the axis of the machine, and a coil spring 67 is interposed between the fingers and a fixed lug 68 on the bracket 38. spring acts to press the finger inwardly and yieldingly hold the finger 37 in its normal position, but will yield against pressures exerted from the opposite side of the driving finger 37 whichv pressures would be in planes parallel with the axis of the spring 67.

Te claim as our invention: 7

In a machine fordriving hoops on'barrels or the like, the combination of a reciprocating driving head, means for actuating Said driving head and means for guiding the same in its movements, hoop driving devices on The coil said head having hoop engaging portions arranged at a fixed distance trom'said head, a stave leveling and centering device adgacent said driving head, means for resilientlycoi necting said leveling and centering device on said'head'so as to permit said leveling and centering device to yield relatively to said driving head When said hoop driving devices engage a hoop and saidleveling and centering device is engaged by the ends of the staves of a barrel, barrel "guiding ineni- I hers on said hoop driving devices adapted to guide ,tlie barrel into position on said level-v I guiding members and into position on said leveling and centering device. "WILLIAM vV. TREVOR.

DELBERT A.'BEREAN.

ving andcenteringdevice, andone or more of said hoop driving devices 7 being provided. 

